Where your money goes
In this section: Your area

Parking income in Lewes

Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.

In 2025–26 Lewes took £0.9m in parking income and spent £0.7m, a surplus of £0.3m against £0.1m in 2024–25 (+173%), the 218th largest of 290 councils in England. Figures are from the council's own return to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Key figures

  • £0.27mParking surplus up on a year earlier: +£0.17m (+173.2%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £0.93mParking income up on a year earlier: +£0.17m (+22.7%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £0.66mSpending on parking up on a year earlier: +£0.00m (+0.5%) vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • £0.00mPenalty charge income unchanged on a year earlier: no change vs 2024–25 2025–26
  • 218 of 290Rank in England, largest surplus first 2025–26

Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

How much has Lewes made from parking each year?

Lewes: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
The numbers behind this chart
Lewes: parking income, spending and surplus, £ million
YearIncomeSpendingSurplus
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£0.98m£0.57m£0.42m
Spending
£0.57m
Surplus
£0.42m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£1.02m£0.6m£0.42m
Spending
£0.6m
Surplus
£0.42m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£0.91m£0.67m£0.24m
Spending
£0.67m
Surplus
£0.24m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£0.47m£0.62m£-0.15m
Spending
£0.62m
Surplus
£-0.15m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£0.84m£0.68m£0.16m
Spending
£0.68m
Surplus
£0.16m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£0.6m£0.64m£-0.03m
Spending
£0.64m
Surplus
£-0.03m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£0.56m£0.6m£-0.04m
Spending
£0.6m
Surplus
£-0.04m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£0.75m£0.66m£0.1m
Spending
£0.66m
Surplus
£0.1m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£0.93m£0.66m£0.27m
Spending
£0.66m
Surplus
£0.27m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Lewes: on-street and car park accounts
YearOn-street incomeOn-street spendingCar park incomeCar park spendingPenalty income
2017–18
Details for 2017–18
£0.00m£0.00m£0.98m£0.57m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.98m
Car park spending
£0.57m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2018–19
Details for 2018–19
£0.00m£0.00m£1.02m£0.60m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£1.02m
Car park spending
£0.60m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2019–20
Details for 2019–20
£0.00m£0.00m£0.91m£0.67m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.91m
Car park spending
£0.67m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2020–21
Details for 2020–21
£0.00m£0.00m£0.47m£0.62m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.47m
Car park spending
£0.62m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2021–22
Details for 2021–22
£0.00m£0.00m£0.84m£0.68m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.84m
Car park spending
£0.68m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2022–23
Details for 2022–23
£0.00m£0.00m£0.60m£0.64m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.60m
Car park spending
£0.64m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2023–24
Details for 2023–24
£0.00m£0.00m£0.56m£0.60m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.56m
Car park spending
£0.60m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2024–25
Details for 2024–25
£0.00m£0.00m£0.75m£0.66m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.75m
Car park spending
£0.66m
Penalty income
£0.00m
2025–26
Details for 2025–26
£0.00m£0.00m£0.93m£0.66m£0.00m
On-street spending
£0.00m
Car park income
£0.93m
Car park spending
£0.66m
Penalty income
£0.00m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

All figures are cash, in the council's own return. The most recent year is a first release and may be revised. Lewes is recorded as: Shire District.

What can Lewes spend a surplus on?

On-street parking charges and all council parking penalty charges (England and Wales)

Ring-fenced by law a ring-fenced parking account. A surplus may only be spent on parking, public transport, highway and environmental improvements and similar purposes; a deficit is made good from the general fund.

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55, as applied in England by SI 2022/71, regs 25 and 27

At the end of each financial year any deficit in the account shall be made good out of the general fund or, in Wales, council fund, and (subject to subsection (3) below) any surplus shall be applied for all or any of the purposes specified in subsection (4) below

Council car park (off-street) tariffs

Kept by the body that collects it the council's general fund. Section 55 covers on-street parking and enforcement income, not car park fees. Not verified

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, s55(1), and DfT statutory guidance on civil parking enforcement

The income from on-street charging and any penalty charge payments received (whether for on-street or off-street enforcement) must only be used in accordance with section 55 (as amended) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

Legal position as of 22 September 2026. Source: legislation.gov.uk. Checked by hand 22 September 2026.

How does Lewes compare with other councils?

Lewes among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26

Ranked largest surplus first; a negative figure is a deficit. Every council is in the full tables.

Show as a table
Lewes among the England councils nearest it, parking surplus 2025–26
NameSurplus
214. Hart DC£0.30m
215. West Lancashire£0.30m
216. Charnwood BC£0.28m
217. Bassetlaw£0.28m
218. Lewes (Lewes)£0.27m
219. Dartmoor National Park Authority£0.25m
220. Thurrock UA£0.24m
221. Malvern Hills£0.23m
222. Rutland UA£0.23m

Figures for the 2025–26 financial year. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Every council's parking surplus, penalty charge levels and the national trend.

Sources for this page

SourcePublisherFigures as ofUpdatedLicence
Local authority revenue expenditure and financing: revenue outturn multi-year data set (RO2 parking)Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Governmentthe 2025–26 financial yearannualOpen Government Licence v3.0
legislation.gov.uk and official guidance, provision by provisionlegislation.gov.uk22 September 2026annualOpen Government Licence v3.0 (legislation.gov.uk)

Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under CC BY 4.0.

Sections